Dean of Studies

Rethinking Success

Intelligence is not simply a measure of ‘how smart you are’ or your achievements on tests and examinations. What if your ability to rethink or ‘unlearn’ previous ways of thinking and doing is a part of your intelligence?

In his new book, (Think Again), Professor Adam Grant challenges the notion that holding on to long-held beliefs and assumptions without rethinking them, is a barrier to our ability to keep learning. Professor Grant offers a very easy timeline for learning[1]:

“Oops, I made a mistake > I should think about my mistake > Now I can learn from my mistake > Wow, I knew less than I thought”

This approach can be applied just as easily to a homework mathematics problem, writing a paragraph, practising a musical item or a basketball jump shot, as it can to developing a new strategy for homework and study revision.

Mark Chussil is the founder of Advanced Competitive Strategies and a pioneer in business strategy simulation , as well as an adjunct instructor at the Pamplin School of Business at the University of Portland[2]. He is a thought-provoking teacher of strategic thinking and an author with numerous articles published in the Harvard Business Review. In one of the books he has written[3] the following about success:

“Success requires value judgements. There is no universally ‘right’ way to measure success. Cultures differ dramatically in how they define success, and so do individuals within a culture. However, if you don’t define success for yourself, then you will use someone else’s definition and you will find it difficult to know when (or if) you have achieved it.”

And so at the commencement of the school academic year, all students can use the time to rethink the ways in which they approached their academic studies in previous years, and develop new or different strategies to achieve their personal best (success) in 2021. The first step to take is to define their personal best through the goals to be set for the school year.

GOAL SETTING – F.A.S.T GOALS

Students are provided with the opportunity to develop their academic goals and update these in SEQTA, and I encourage all students to use the time available in Homeroom, and the opportunity to seek guidance from their Homeroom Teacher to develop and review their academic goals.

Parents and Guardians are also invited to view and discuss their child’s goals with them at regular intervals throughout the term, and assist young people with defining the type of success that they may wish to pursue whilst at the College.

In order to rethink the way goals are developed, we are expanding from just using S.M.A.R.T Goals (Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Timely) to also use F.A.S.T Goals (Frequent; Ambitious; Specific; Transparent). F.A.S.T Goals commonly attributed  to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management, and the following table provides further explanation:

[1] Think Again. WH Allen Publishing. (2021). p.74

[2] https://whatifyourstrategy.com/company/biographies/mark-chussil/

[3] Nice Start. Questions Only You Can Answer to Create the Life Only You Can Live. Inkwater Press (2010). p.156

CLASS OF 2020 AWARDS

The College congratulates our newest graduates on their effort and achievements, and we look forward to formally presenting their awards soon.

Certificate of Distinction: Amanda D’Cruz

Certificate of Merit:

VET Certificate of Excellence (Community Services, Health and Education): Ellie Barbato

Subject Certificate of Excellence:

Emma Paskett – Mathematics Applications

St Norbert College 95+ Club:

OLNA DATES 

The Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment will commence at St Norbert College on Tuesday, March 2 to Tuesday, March 9. All students are required to demonstrate the minimum literacy and numeracy standards for the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), and the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (Authority) awards the WACE at the end of Year 12 to students who have met all the requirements. 

Students who have achieved Band 8 or higher in any of the three components of reading, writing and numeracy in their Year 9 NAPLAN are acknowledged as having demonstrated proficiency in using a range of ACSF Level 3 skills in that component and will not be required to sit the corresponding OLNA test.

The OLNA is comprised of three components—Reading, Writing and Numeracy. Students are allowed 60 minutes for the Reading and Numeracy components and 60 minutes for the Writing. The table below provides an overview of the OLNA components for 2021:

Practice and Example Tests

These tests contain questions assessing skills from the Australian Core Skills Framework. The intention is not for schools to drill students on these tests as the skills, genres and prompts will differ between tests. None of the questions from the practice or example tests are included in the OLNA.

The Practice Test for each component is designed to enable students to become familiar with the test environment. It provides them with practice in using the test website functionality and to experience the types of questions that can be expected in the reading, writing and numeracy components of the OLNA. It includes a set of 20 multiple-choice questions for reading; a set of 20 multiple-choice questions for numeracy and one writing prompt. Students have 20 minutes to complete each component.

The sample test provides an indicative sample of the diversity of skills assessed. Students can experience a complete assessment in the reading, writing and numeracy components. It includes a set of 45 multiple-choice questions for reading; a set of 45 multiple-choice questions for numeracy and one writing prompt. Students will have 50 minutes to complete the reading and numeracy components and 60 minutes to complete the writing component. The practice and example tests can be accessed by using the following:

web address:     assess.scsa.wa.edu.au

username:          olna

password:           prac14

You can also direct enquiries to: olna@scsa.wa.edu.au

Christian Leaders Scholarship

The Christian Leaders Scholarship assists and encourages meritorious students who have demonstrated excellence in the fields of leadership and community service, to cultivate them to be the next generation of leaders in our society.  The scholarship is open to students currently in Year 12 (ATAR) study, intending to undertake full-time university studies in 2022.

Applications are now open and will close on 28 March 2021.  For more information, please refer to our website at https://bit.ly/christianleadersscholarship.

Should you or your students have any questions, please contact the Scholarship Committee at christianleadersscholarship@gmail.com.

Mr R Dowling

(Dean of Studies)